Veterans’ memorial on the move

HEADED ACROSS THE STREET — The Naples Veterans' Memorial will be moved to the Naples Public Beach area. (De Busk Photo)

HEADED ACROSS THE STREET — The Naples Veterans' Memorial will be moved to the Naples Public Beach area. (De Busk Photo)

By Dawn De Busk

Staff Writer

NAPLES — Throughout the decades, people in the military have received their orders to “ship out.”

Town officials have talked about moving the Veterans’ War Memorial — just across the street to a location on the public beach property.

The little sliver of lawn where the memorial is currently situated becomes noticeably cramped during national holidays when ceremonies take place at the Village Green.

According to American Legion Post No. 155 Commander Curtis Merrill, the existing location is a problem area with inadequate parking.

Recently, the Naples Board of Selectmen briefly discussed relocating the marble memorial and matching benches to the Naples Public Beach property, which is directly across Route 302.

“Some people would like to move it onto the opposite side of the road,” Selectman Robert Caron II said.

“It is a memorial so it should be more visible. I suggested up on the hill,” Caron said.

According to Chairman Dana Watson, backfill would be needed to level out the slope and place the memorial on a flat surface.

Already — since this winter, plans have been in the making to relocate to the beach a cupola, one of the sections from the old Naples Hotel.

Caron, who admitted to playing in the cupola as a child, said that structure would be better closer to the road.

“The key is to figure out where the gazebo (cupola) goes first,” Caron said.

Town Manager Derik Goodine penciled a quick sketch of where the vintage structure and the memorial could be placed.

“We need to have a good layout plan,” Goodine said.

Selectman John Adams said there was most likely a grant available to help pay for the costs of moving the memorial that immortalizes local veterans of foreign wars.